May 7th 2024.
As the dates for the upcoming Odisha polls draw closer, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has geared up its campaign efforts by enlisting a team of campaigners who will be making their way to the eastern state. The state has been under the rule of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) for more than two decades now. On the other hand, the BJD's campaign strategy relies heavily on its party president and Chief Minister, Naveen Patnaik, and bureaucrat-turned-politician Kartik Pandian. In contrast, the BJP has taken a different approach by having its top leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, spearhead the poll drive.
Modi, along with ministers like Amit Shah and Rajnath Singh, has been actively campaigning in various parts of the state for BJP candidates. Recently, he held rallies in Berhampur and Nabarangpur Lok Sabha seats and is scheduled for more campaigning before the first round of polls on May 13. According to BJP candidate Aparajita Sarangi, Modi will also be holding a roadshow in Bhubaneswar on May 10 and is expected to address an election rally in Bolangir on May 11. Confirming this, a BJP spokesperson said, "The PM's schedule for May 11 is yet to be finalized, but it is likely that he will address an election rally in Bolangir."
In addition to Modi's campaign, the BJP has also enlisted the help of other prominent leaders such as Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, who will be visiting Odisha on May 8 for a two-day visit. He is expected to address public meetings in Nabarangpur and Koraput. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma will also be addressing public meetings in different parts of the state. Moreover, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari will also be joining the campaign trail, highlighting issues such as highway projects and the need for a "double-engine" government in Odisha.
The BJP's campaign has also roped in actress-turned-politician Hema Malini as one of its star campaigners, who is expected to join the campaign trail in Berhampur. Meanwhile, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has already campaigned for his party candidates in Cuttack district. While the BJP is relying on its national leaders and ministers to campaign in Odisha, the BJD duo of Patnaik and Pandian have been tirelessly touring the state in preparation for the upcoming Lok Sabha and Assembly elections. These elections will be held in four phases, starting on May 13 and ending on June 1, with the first round in Berhampur, Nabarangpur, Kalahandi, and Koraput.
The BJP spokesperson, Golak Mohapatra, stated in a press conference that these campaigns will also focus on how the BJD government's lack of cooperation has affected highway projects in the state. This will serve as a justification for the need for a "double-engine" government in Odisha. With both parties putting in their best efforts to win over the voters, it will be interesting to see the outcome of the upcoming elections in Odisha.
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